Robin Lehner makes 53 saves

Ottawa Sens vs. New York Islanders, Nov. 1

Ottawa Senators' Erik Condra receives congratulations after scoring against the New York Islanders during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday October 17,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Kyle Turris checks New York Islanders Casey Cizikas during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Boby Ryan shows his disappointment after not scoring in the OT shootout against the New York Islanders Andrew MacDonald during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil gets upended by New York Islanders Andrew MacDonald during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

Ottawa Senators' Colin Greening checks New York Islanders Thomas Vanek during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday October 17,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Eric Gryba battles with New York Islanders Cal Clutterbuck during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil (L) and Colin Greening battle with New York Islanders Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Marc Methot checks New York Islanders Peter Regin during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Eric Gryba checks New York Islanders Cal Clutterbuck during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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March 22,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Marc Methot checks New York Islanders Peter Regin during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Mika Zibanejad and Sens fans celebrate his goal against the New York Islanders during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' Corey Conacher battles with Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/The Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Ottawa Senators' is stopped on his shootout attempt by New York Islanders Evgeni Nabokov during NHL hockey action at the Canadian Tire centre in Ottawa on Friday November 1,2013. Errol McGihon/Ottawa Sun/QMI Agency

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Robin Lehner shut the door but the New York Islanders came through the cracks Friday night.

While Evgeni Nabokov had been horrible all night he stepped up when it mattered the most by shutting the door to hand the Islanders a 5-4 shootout loss to waste a brilliant 53-save performance by Lehner in front of 15,589 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Frans Nielsen scored the winner in the skills contest.

Clarke MacArthur, Bobby Ryan, Mika Zibanejad and Erik Condra scored while Nielsen, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Matt Martin and John Tavares replied for the Isles as Ottawa allowed a franchise record 57 shots beating the previous mark of 56 last month in Anaheim.

The Senators didn't take a lot of solace in the loser point because their effort defensively was horrible.

"I don't know what the answer is (to turn this around)," said Lehner. "We're trying. I'm not a hockey coach. I don't know. It just feels like we're trying and we're good for five minutes and then we break down and then we have a few awful minutes.

"I don't know. It's not good enough."

The club's fourth straight loss at home came after coach Paul MacLean changed all the lines and defensive pairings.

﻿"We had some guys start to dig in and I thought that was a good sign," said MacLean. "But enough is enough. We've got to dig in and start playing."

MacLean's best change was putting Lehner in net -- he even stopped Thomas Vanek in alone in OT.

Moments after killing off a 5-on-3 for the Isles that lasted a span of 1:52, the club couldn't gain any momentum. Nielsen tied it up on the 46th shot Lehner faced when he fired it into a wide open net on the glove side at 3:14 to tie up in the third.

Had it not been for Lehner -- and Nabokov's disgraceful effort in allowing four goals on 18 shots -- there is no way the Senators would have had been clinging a 4-3 lead over the Islanders after 40 minutes.

Bouchard brought the Isles to within a goal at 18:24.

"We're obviously searching for answers," said captain Jason Spezza. "It's no way to win hockey games. You can't give up that many shots."

Completely outplayed and saved by Lehner's 41 stops, the Senators were ahead on the strength of MacArthur's first goal of the season. It came on a wraparound attempt on Nabokov's glove side to give the club a 4-2 lead at 14:47 of the second.

Ryan had given the club a 3-2 lead with his seventh at 12:34.

Even that one wasn't great. Nabokov couldn't find the loose puck in the crease and all Ryan had to do was bang it home. It restored the lead for the Senators after they saw their 2-0 advantage evaporate in a span of 32 seconds.

Are the Senators finding ways to lose?

"Yeah, we are. We find a way to go up two (goals) early and then we find a way to go up (two) in the second," said Ryan. "I don't know if it's complacency. I don't know what sets in for us. That's when we don't stick to the structure.

"When you don't stick to the structure you've got a goalie that's asked to make 55 saves and that's unreasonable."

The Senators held a 2-0 lead after first, thanks to Nabokov.

He'd certainly would have liked Zibanejad's third in five games since being called up back. His slapshot from the circle was a brutal goal. It bounced off Nabokov's glove and in to extend the club's lead with only 20 seconds left in the period.

Those wondering if Condra was ever going to score again were happy to see him beat Nabokov through the five-hole at 18:38 to give the Senators a 1-0 lead. It was Condra's first since April 28th, but he left the game with a leg strain.